Logicomix

Gifted to me by my friend Kisha, who sees science, especially physics in everything around him. A valiant attempt at exploring the scientific and human aspects of logic. A deep study of logic causes one to expect logic in human actions and emotions which are prone to be not so, more often than not. This will eventually drive any logician insane, it is only a matter of time. It charts the course of Bertrand Russell's life starting with a repressive religious upbringing, moving on to finding release in the rationality of Mathematics. But alas, the sense of liberation is short lived when Russel finds out that the seeming rationality of mathematics rests upon shaky not very rigorous foundation, Russel's paradox being a case in point. This frustrates him to no end and he takes it upon himself along with his mentor Whitehead to firm the basis for mathematical thought by writing the Principia Mathematica. The final word on the subject is not said until the brilliant Kurt Godel proves the incompleteness theorem. Meanwhile Russell starts taking a more compassionate view of life embracing life for what it is, not always logical, thereby redeeming his sanity. Sometimes we are left wanting more details about the underlying mathematics, but that might be only the mathematically inclined among us. In short, a nice read that succeeds in humanizing logic and logicians.
Aug 2011